Methods and apparatus are continually sought to assist operator control of automobile movement. Especially desirable are methods and apparatus that assist an operator in detecting when an object lies in the projected path of a vehicle, such as an automobile, a forklift, a golf cart, construction equipment and the like.
When a vehicle is initially put in motion, the operator generally intends to move the vehicle straight forward or backward or intends to steer the vehicle at a forward or backward angle. Thus, the vehicle may have one of a variety of projected paths. As may occur frequently, an object that lies within close proximity of the vehicle may lie in the projected path of the vehicle. If the object is not within the view of the operator, i.e, the object is in a “blind spot” or is too short to be viewable by the operator, as the vehicle follows its projected path, it may hit the object, even though the vehicle was moving slow enough that motion of the vehicle could have been halted had an advanced warning of the object's presence been provided.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide an apparatus for detecting an object in the projected path of a vehicle. In addition, it is desirable to provide a method for detecting an object in the projected path of a vehicle. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description of the invention and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background of the invention.